-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 CMWcPPofova1zykaAq3QkjAelunjVheVg0RoKpa4l6Jzh1rZODlS8sLSC/HEzPgy
 0qabwI8V9D3zMGwsddNi+Q==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001005477-08-005512.txt : 20080829
<SEC-HEADER>0001005477-08-005512.hdr.sgml : 20080829
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20080829164618
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001005477-08-005512
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20080828
FILED AS OF DATE:		20080829
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20080829

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Press Clifford
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001345478

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-33962
		FILM NUMBER:		081049660

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		BUSINESS PHONE:		(212) 277-5654

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		152 WEST 57TH STREET
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10019

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			COHERENT INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000021510
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	LABORATORY ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENTS [3826]
		IRS NUMBER:				941622541
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0930

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		5100 PATRICK HENRY DR
		CITY:			SANTA CLARA
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95054
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4087644000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		5100 PATRICK HENRY DRIVE
		STREET 2:		MAIL STOP P38
		CITY:			SANTA CLARA
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95054

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	COHERENT RADIATION
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19770604
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar123.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-08-28</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000021510</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>COHERENT INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>COHR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001345478</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Press Clifford</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O OLIVER PRESS PARTNERS, LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>152 WEST 57TH STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10019</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-08-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>22992</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>36.6396</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2581097</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The reporting person is a director of Coherent, Inc. (the &quot;Company&quot;). The reporting person is also a (i) Managing Member of Oliver Press Investors, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and the general partner of each of Davenport Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (&quot;Davenport&quot;), JE Partners, a Bermuda partnership (&quot;JE&quot;), and Oliver Press Master Fund LP, a Cayman limited partnership (&quot;Master Fund&quot;; and, together with Davenport and JE, the &quot;Partnerships&quot;), and (ii) Managing Member of Oliver Press Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and the investment advisor to each of the Partnerships. The Partnerships own certain securities of the Company, all of which are subject to the shared voting and investment authority of the reporting person, among others. The reporting person's interest in the securities reported herein is limited to the extent of his pecuniary interest in the Partnerships, if any.</footnote>

    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Clifford Press</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-08-28</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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