UNITED STATES SECURITIES & EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 Form 13F FORM 13F COVER PAGE Report for the Calendar Year or Quarter Ended: June 30, 2010 Check here if Amendment [ ];Amendment Number: This amendment (Check only one) : [ ] is a restatement [ ] adds new holdings entries. Institutional Investment Manager Filing this Report: Name: The Adams Express Company Address: 7 St. Paul Street, Suite 1140 Baltimore, MD 21202 Form 13F File Number: 28-597 The institutional investment manager filing this report and the person by whom it is signed hereby represent that the person signing the report is authorized to submit it,that all information contained herein is true, correct and complete,and that it is understood that all required items, statements, schedules, lists, and tables are considered integral parts of this form. Person Signing this Report on Behalf of Reporting Manager: Name: Christine M. Sloan Title: Assistant Treasurer Phone: (410) 752-5900 Signature, Place, and Date of Signing: /s/ Christine M. Sloan Baltimore, MD July 27, 2010 [Signature] [City, State] [Date] Report Type (Check only one): [X] 13F HOLDINGS REPORT. (Check here if all holdings of this reporting manager are reported in this report). [ ] 13F NOTICE. (Check here if no holdings reported are in this report, and all holdings are reported by other reporting manager(s).) [ ] 13F COMBINATION REPORT. (Check here if a portion of the holdings for this reporting manager are reported in this report and a portion are reported by other reporting manager(s).) FORM 13F SUMMARY PAGE Report Summary: Number of Other Included Managers: 0 Form 13F Information Table Entry Total: 77 Form 13F Information Table Value Total: $922,418 (in thousands) List of Other Included Managers: Provide a numbered list of the name(s) and Form 13F file number(s) of all institutional investment managers with respect to which this report is filed, other than the manager filing this report. NONE. COLUMN 1 COLUMN 2 COLUMN 3 COLUMN 4 COLUMN 5 COLUMN 6 COLUMN 7 COLUMN 8 NAME OF ISSUER TITLE CUSIP VALUE SHRS OR SH/ PUT/ INVSTMT OTHER VOTING AUTHORITY OF CLASS (x $1000) PRN AMT PRN CALL DISCRETN MANAGER SOLE SHARED NONE ABBOTT LABORATORIES COM 002824100 14,970 320,000 SH SOLE 320,000 AMERICAN EXPRESS CO. COM 025816109 13,895 350,000 SH SOLE 350,000 APPLE INC. COM 037833100 18,865 75,000 SH SOLE 75,000 AUTOMATIC DATA PROCESSING COM 053015103 12,078 300,000 SH SOLE 300,000 AVON PRODUCTS, INC. COM 054303102 8,602 324,600 SH SOLE 324,600 BANK OF AMERICA CORP. COM 060505104 19,902 1,385,000 SH SOLE 1,385,000 BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON CO COM 064058100 9,969 403,775 SH SOLE 403,775 BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB CO. COM 110122108 3,967 159,061 SH SOLE 159,061 BROADCOM CORP. COM 111320107 13,188 400,000 SH SOLE 400,000 BUNGE LTD. COM G16962105 7,870 160,000 SH SOLE 160,000 CHEVRON CORP. COM 166764100 13,572 200,000 SH SOLE 200,000 CINTAS CORP. COM 172908105 7,191 300,000 SH SOLE 300,000 CISCO SYSTEMS, INC. COM 17275R102 18,114 850,000 SH SOLE 850,000 CLIFFS NATURAL RESOURCES INC. COM 18683K101 5,235 111,000 SH SOLE 111,000 COCA-COLA CO. COM 191216100 12,530 250,000 SH SOLE 250,000 COLUMBIA SPORTSWEAR CO. COM 198516106 9,334 200,000 SH SOLE 200,000 CONSOL ENERGY INC. COM 20854P109 6,752 200,000 SH SOLE 200,000 CURTISS-WRIGHT CORP. COM 231561101 10,454 360,000 SH SOLE 360,000 CVS/CAREMARK CORP. COM 126650100 8,356 285,000 SH SOLE 285,000 DEAN FOODS CO. COM 242370104 4,280 425,000 SH SOLE 425,000 DEL MONTE FOODS CO. COM 24522P103 11,512 800,000 SH SOLE 800,000 DELL INC. COM 24702R101 3,437 285,000 SH SOLE 285,000 DOW CHEMICAL CO. COM 260543103 5,071 213,800 SH SOLE 213,800 EMERSON ELECTRIC CO. COM 291011104 13,107 300,000 SH SOLE 300,000 EXXON MOBIL CORP. COM 30231G102 12,270 215,000 SH SOLE 215,000 FREEPORT-MCMORAN COPPER & GOLD COM 35671D857 7,983 135,000 SH SOLE 135,000 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. COM 369604103 21,457 1,488,000 SH SOLE 1,488,000 GILEAD SCIENCES, INC. COM 375558103 8,570 250,000 SH SOLE 250,000 GOOGLE INC. COM 38259P508 12,904 29,000 SH SOLE 29,000 HALLIBURTON CO. COM 406216101 3,682 150,000 SH SOLE 150,000 HANSEN NATURAL CORP. COM 411310105 10,169 260,000 SH SOLE 260,000 HARSCO CORP. COM 415864107 7,285 310,000 SH SOLE 310,000 HEWLETT-PACKARD CO. COM 428236103 12,984 300,000 SH SOLE 300,000 HOSPIRA, INC. COM 441060100 11,490 200,000 SH SOLE 200,000 ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC. COM 452308109 10,320 250,000 SH SOLE 250,000 INTEL CORP. COM 458140100 16,338 840,000 SH SOLE 840,000 JOHNSON & JOHNSON COM 478160104 15,060 255,000 SH SOLE 255,000 JPMORGAN CHASE & CO. COM 46625H100 20,502 560,000 SH SOLE 560,000 LOWE'S COMPANIES, INC. COM 548661107 12,252 600,000 SH SOLE 600,000 MASCO CORP. COM 574599106 4,842 450,000 SH SOLE 450,000 MCDONALD'S CORP. COM 580135101 16,467 250,000 SH SOLE 250,000 MDU RESOURCES GROUP, INC. COM 552690109 10,142 562,500 SH SOLE 562,500 MEAD JOHNSON NUTRITION CO. COM CL 582839106 5,883 117,383 SH SOLE 117,383 MEDTRONIC, INC. COM 585055106 12,694 350,000 SH SOLE 350,000 MICROSOFT CORP. COM 594918104 27,152 1,180,000 SH SOLE 1,180,000 MORGAN STANLEY COM 617446448 6,963 300,000 SH SOLE 300,000 NEWELL RUBBERMAID INC. COM 651229106 5,856 400,000 SH SOLE 400,000 NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP. COM 655844108 10,610 200,000 SH SOLE 200,000 NORTHEAST UTILITIES COM 664397106 8,918 350,000 SH SOLE 350,000 ORACLE CORP. COM 68389X105 23,606 1,100,000 SH SOLE 1,100,000 OSHKOSH CORP. COM 688239201 11,841 380,000 SH SOLE 380,000 PEPSICO, INC. COM 713448108 21,942 360,000 SH SOLE 360,000 PETROLEUM & RESOURCES CORP. COM 716549100 43,670 2,186,774 SH SOLE 2,186,774 PFIZER INC. COM 717081103 14,476 1,015,125 SH SOLE 1,015,125 PNC FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP COM 693475105 15,255 270,000 SH SOLE 270,000 POTASH CORP. OF SASKATCHEWAN COM 73755L107 4,657 54,000 SH SOLE 54,000 PRAXAIR, INC. COM 74005P104 8,305 109,292 SH SOLE 109,292 PROCTER & GAMBLE CO. COM 742718109 18,894 315,000 SH SOLE 315,000 PRUDENTIAL FINANCIAL, INC. COM 744320102 16,635 310,000 SH SOLE 310,000 QUALCOMM INC. COM 747525103 9,852 300,000 SH SOLE 300,000 RYLAND GROUP, INC. COM 783764103 5,434 343,500 SH SOLE 343,500 SAFEWAY INC. COM 786514208 7,667 390,000 SH SOLE 390,000 SENOMYX, INC. COM 81724Q107 4,868 1,284,400 SH SOLE 1,284,400 SPECTRA ENERGY CORP. COM 847560109 8,144 405,780 SH SOLE 405,780 SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS HOLDING COM CL A 848574109 13,723 720,000 SH SOLE 720,000 STATE STREET CORP. COM 857477103 9,131 270,000 SH SOLE 270,000 T. ROWE PRICE GROUP, INC. COM 74144T108 8,878 200,000 SH SOLE 200,000 TARGET CORP. COM 87612E106 15,734 320,000 SH SOLE 320,000 TEVA PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES ADR 881624209 17,157 330,000 SH SOLE 330,000 TRANSOCEAN LTD. REG SHS H8817H100 6,255 135,000 SH SOLE 135,000 UNILEVER PLC ADR SPON ADR NEW 904767704 18,802 703,400 SH SOLE 703,400 UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORP. COM 913017109 19,473 300,000 SH SOLE 300,000 UNITEDHEALTH GROUP INC. COM 91324P102 9,940 350,000 SH SOLE 350,000 VISA INC. COM CL A 92826C839 6,368 90,000 SH SOLE 90,000 WALT DISNEY CO. COM 254687106 15,120 480,000 SH SOLE 480,000 WELLS FARGO & CO. COM 949746101 13,440 525,000 SH SOLE 525,000 ZIMMER HOLDINGS, INC. COM 98956P102 8,107 150,000 SH SOLE 150,000 922,418