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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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 rgurDVJvR4sckBs4eOoVlQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001209191-03-013679.txt : 20030725
<SEC-HEADER>0001209191-03-013679.hdr.sgml : 20030725
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030725155302
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001209191-03-013679
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030723
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030725

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ENGELHARDT IRL F
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001213883

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-16463
		FILM NUMBER:		03803688

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		PEABODY ENERGY CORP
		STREET 2:		701 MARKET ST
		CITY:			ST LOUIS
		STATE:			MO
		ZIP:			63101

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			PEABODY ENERGY CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001064728
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	BITUMINOUS COAL & LIGNITE SURFACE MINING [1221]
		IRS NUMBER:				134004153
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		701 MARKET ST
		CITY:			ST LOUIS
		STATE:			MO
		ZIP:			63101-1826
		BUSINESS PHONE:		3143423400

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		701 MARKET ST
		CITY:			ST LOUIS
		STATE:			MO
		ZIP:			63101-1826

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	P&L COAL HOLDINGS CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19980623
</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>2003-07-23</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001064728</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PEABODY ENERGY CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BTU</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001213883</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ENGELHARDT IRL F</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chairman and CEO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-23</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>30000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>14.29</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>229059</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value
></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-23</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>30000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>32.2296</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>199059</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Trust</v
alue></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-24</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>20000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>14.29</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>219059</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><
nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-24</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>20000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>32.106</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>199059</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (rig
ht to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>14.29</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-23</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>30000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1999-05-19</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-05-19</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>30000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>819253</value></sharesOwned
FollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>14.29</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-24</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>20000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2000-05-19</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-05-19</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity>
<underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>20000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>799253</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Does not include 9,690 shares held directly (including 2,930 shares acquired under the Company's Employee Stock Purchase Plan), 4,801 shares held indirectly by the Company's 401(k) plan and 1,100 shares held indirectly by Mr. Engelhardt's spouse.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Of the 20,000 options exercised, 800 vested on May 19, 1999 and 19,200 vested on May 19, 2000.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Irl F. Engelhardt

by Joseph W. Bean, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-25</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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