Exhibit 5.1

                        [Opinion re: Legality of Shares]



April 23, 2007






Crane Co.
100 First Stamford Place
Stamford, Connecticut 06902

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         Reference is made to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 to be filed
contemporaneously  herewith  under the  Securities Act of 1933 by Crane Co. (the
"Registrant")  relating to 150,000  shares of common stock,  par value $1.00 per
share ("Common  Stock"),  of the Registrant to be issued from time to time under
the Crane Co. 2007 Non-Employee Director Compensation Plan (the "Plan").

         The undersigned has examined the originals,  certified copies or copies
otherwise  identified to his  satisfaction  as being true copies of the Plan and
such other  documents as he has deemed  necessary or appropriate for purposes of
this opinion. Based on the foregoing, the undersigned is of the opinion that the
150,000 shares of Common Stock to be issued under the Plan,  when   issued under
the terms  of the  Plan,  will  be   legally  and  validly  issued,  fully  paid
and non-assessable.

         The undersigned is the Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of
the Registrant  and, as of April 23, 2007,  beneficially  owned 85,626 shares of
the Registrant's Common Stock and held options to purchase 400,112 shares of the
Registrant's Common Stock. The undersigned hereby consents to the filing of this
opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.

                                            Very truly yours,


                                            Augustus I. duPont