UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 4
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
[ ] Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16.
Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue.
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person(s)
Clark, Alexander Bayard
8000 Forsyth Blvd.
Clayton, MO 63105
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Commerce Bancshares, Inc. (CBSH)
3. I.R.S. Identification Number of Reporting Person, if an entity (Voluntary)
4. Statement for Month/Day/Year
12/11/2002
5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Day/Year)
6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
[ ] Director [ ] 10% Owner
[X] Officer (give title below) [ ] Other (specify below)
Executive Vice President, CFO
and Treasurer
7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
[X] Form filed by One Reporting Person
[ ] Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
Table I Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
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1)Title of Security 2)Trans- 3.Trans- 4.Securities Acquired(A) 5)Amount of 6) 7)Nature of
action action or Disposed of (D) Securities Indirect
Date Code A Beneficially D Beneficial
(Month/ or Owned at or Ownership
Day/Year) Code V Amount D Price End of Month I
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Common Stock 12/11/02 F 1,522 D $39.900000 D Direct
Common Stock 12/11/02 S 1,500 D $40.010000 D Direct
Common Stock 12/11/02 S 900 D $40.000000 D Direct
Common Stock 12/11/02 S 100 D $39.990000 D Direct
Common Stock 12/11/02 S 100 D $39.980000 D Direct
Common Stock 12/11/02 S 500 D $39.970000 D Direct
Common Stock 12/11/02 S 1,542 D $39.950000 D Direct
Common Stock 12/11/02 M 4,642 A $13.085533 D Direct
Common Stock 12/11/02 M 4,642 A $16.878639 *52,117 D Direct
Table II (PART 1) Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (Columns 1 through 6)
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1)Title of Derivative 2)Conversion 3)Trans- 4)Trans- 5)Number of Derivative 6)Date Exercisable and
Security or Exercise action action Securities Acquired (A) Expiration Date
Price of Date Code or Disposed of (D)
Derivative
Security Code V A D Exercisable Expiration
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Stock Option (right to buy) $13.085533 12/11/02 M 4,642 02/03/95 02/02/05
Stock Option (right to buy) $16.878639 12/11/02 M 4,642 02/08/96 02/07/06
Table II (PART 2) Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (Columns 1,3 and 7 through 11)
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1)Title of Derivative 3)Trans- 7)Title and Amount 8)Price 9)Number of 10) 11)Nature of
Security action of Underlying of Deri- Derivative Indirect
Date Securities vative Securities D Beneficial
Amount or Security Beneficially or Ownership
Number of Owned at I
- Title Shares End of Month
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Stock Option (right to buy) 12/11/02 Common Stock 4,642 *2,225 D Direct
Stock Option (right to buy) 12/11/02 Common Stock 4,642 *5,907 D Direct
Explanation of Responses:
*Stock Holdings adjusted to include 5% Stock Dividend, record date 11/29/2002; payable 12/13/2002.
SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON
/S/ By: Jeffery D. Aberdeen
For: A. Bayard Clark
DATE 12/13/02