Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
HILL VERNON W II
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
COMMERCE BANCORP INC /NJ/ [CBH]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Chairman, CEO & President
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
1701 ROUTE 70 EAST
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
10/20/2004
(Street)

CHERRY HILL, NJ 08034
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock               603,600 D  
Common Stock               43,936 I By Wife
Common Stock               35,748 I InterArch
Common Stock               162,904 I InterArch PS Plan
Common Stock               122,786 I Hill Family Trust
Common Stock               139,798 I Hill Foundation
Common Stock 10/20/2004   J(1)   452 A $ 56.92 151,718 I J.V. Properties
Common Stock               145,542 I S.J. Dining
Common Stock               148,666 I U.S. Restaurants
Common Stock               103,680 I Site Development
Common Stock               4,473 I Galloway National Golf
Common Stock (2)               2,835 I 401(k)
Common Stock               37,146 I ESOP Allocation

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Right to Buy (3) $ 5.87             01/02/1996 01/02/2005 Common Stock 100,496   100,496 D  
Right to Buy (3) $ 6.89             01/02/1997 01/02/2006 Common Stock 95,712   95,712 D  
Right to Buy (3) $ 9.57             12/18/1997 12/18/2006 Common Stock 303,874   303,874 D  
Right to Buy (3) $ 16.1             12/16/1998 12/16/2007 Common Stock 289,396   289,396 D  
Right to Buy (3) $ 20.3             06/29/1999 06/29/2008 Common Stock 275,620   275,620 D  
Right to Buy (3) $ 21.85             12/15/1999 12/15/2008 Common Stock 220,496   220,496 D  
Right to Buy (3) $ 19.28             12/21/2000 12/21/2009 Common Stock 209,998   209,998 D  
Right to Buy (3) $ 30.6             01/31/2002 01/31/2011 Common Stock 200,000   200,000 D  
5.95% Conv Trust Pref Sec of Comm Cap Trust II $ 0               (4) 03/11/2032(4) Common Stock 3,791   4,000 I Hill Family Trust
5.95% Conv Trust Pref Sec of Comm Cap Trust II $ 0               (4) 03/11/2032(4) Common Stock 3,791   4,000 I InterArch PS Plan
Right to Buy (3) $ 40.12             02/04/2003 02/04/2012 Common Stock 150,000   150,000 D  
Right to Buy (3) $ 42.8               (5) 02/18/2013 Common Stock 150,000   150,000 D  
Right to Buy (3) $ 58.9               (5) 02/03/2014 Common Stock 150,000   150,000 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
HILL VERNON W II
1701 ROUTE 70 EAST
CHERRY HILL, NJ 08034
  X     Chairman, CEO & President  

Signatures

 Vernon W. Hill, II   10/22/2004
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Purchase under DRIP
(2) J(9) Clerical error
(3) Granted under the Company's 1994 and 1997 Employee Stock Option Plans, which are 16b-3 plans.
(4) Each 5.95% Convertible Trust Preferred Security is convertible at any time on or after the occurrence of certain events described below and prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the business day immediately preceding the date of repayment of such preferred security, whether at stated maturity (i.e. March 11, 2032) or upon redemption, at the option of the holder thereof, into shares of Commerce Bancorp, Inc.'s common stock at an initial conversion ratio of 0.9478 shares of Commerce Bancorp, Inc. common stock for each preferred security, subject to adjustment under certain circumstances.
(5) The stock options are exercisable in 25% increments on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th anniversaries of the grant date.

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