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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
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 D1+Zez7nEObbY4417SnVXQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001209191-03-005975.txt : 20030530
<SEC-HEADER>0001209191-03-005975.hdr.sgml : 20030530
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030530133420
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001209191-03-005975
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030430
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030530

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SCHILLING JAMES E
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001194162

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-01402
		FILM NUMBER:		03725284

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		22801 ST. CLAIR AVE.
		CITY:			CLEVELAND
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			44117-1199

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			LINCOLN ELECTRIC HOLDINGS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000059527
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	METALWORKING MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT [3540]
		IRS NUMBER:				340359955
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			OH
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		22801 ST CLAIR AVE
		CITY:			CLEVELAND
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			44117
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2164818100

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	LINCOLN ELECTRIC CO
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-04-30</periodOfReport><issuer><issuerCik>0000059527</issuerCik><issuerName>LINCOLN ELECTRIC HOLDINGS INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>LECO</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001194162</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>SCHILLING JAMES E</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Sr. V.P. Corporate Development</officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Shares</value></securityTitle><tran
sactionDate><value>2003-05-28</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1600</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>13.5</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Shares</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-28</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equ
itySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1" /></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1600</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>20.31</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Shares</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-29</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmo
unts><transactionShares><value>4800</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>13.5</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Shares</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-29</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1" /></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4800</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>20.48</value></transactionValue><transactionAcqu
iredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Shares</value><footnoteId id="F3" /></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-04-30</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>I</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3837.327</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>8.72</value><footnoteId id="F3" /></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmo
unts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>401(k)</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>13.5</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-28</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1600</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>13.5</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>19
88-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-10-11</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Shares</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1600</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>80650</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>13.5</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-29</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimelines
s><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4800</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>13.5</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-10-11</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Shares</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>4800</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>75850</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Shares sold pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement dated 10/31/02.</footnote><footnote id="F2">The option becomes exercisable in 33 1/3 percent increments on 
October 11, 2001, October 11, 2002 and October 11, 2003.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Reflects 3,837.327 shares disposed in an Intra-plan transfer pursuant to the Company's 401(k) plan.  </footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ James E. Schilling</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-30</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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