Letter from the President
Dear members and friends of PIGNUS,
It is a great honor and a deeply moving experience for me to address you as the new President of our Association. As Managing Director of Dorotheum (Austria)—a company that has been active in the pawnbroking business since 1707—and after twenty-five years as part of the extraordinary PIGNUS organization, I take on this role with the respect our history deserves and with gratitude for the trust you have placed in me.
PIGNUS is not just an association: it is a mission we have been carrying out for centuries, founded with the goal of combating usury and offering support to those in need. Our tradition has its roots in the Monti di Pietà and represents a different approach to pawnbroking, deeply rooted in the Christian values of solidarity and social justice.
My commitment during this presidency will be to reinvigorate personal relationships among our members and to seek to expand our association’s membership by involving countries with different cultures but similar values. I believe that the true value of PIGNUS lies in human relationships and the continuous exchange of experiences and expertise. In this regard, the new website we are developing will be a fundamental tool for implementing collaboration, sharing practical solutions, and jointly addressing the daily challenges our sector presents.
At the same time, we must not forget our responsibility to preserve and promote our history. The project to have our pawnbroking system recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO represents an ambitious but achievable goal, if approached with the passion and commitment that have always distinguished us.
I am convinced that, thanks to the contribution of each of you, PIGNUS will continue to grow as a strong and influential international community, faithful to its roots and capable of renewing itself for the future.
With gratitude and friendship,
Lucas Tinzl
President of PIGNUS
14.05.2025