Pelikan had been concentrating on the "Pelikano business" in the 1970's. The fountain pens for adults had been treated rather "stepmotherly"(Pelikan: Ein Unternehmen schreibt Geschichte) for years⁽¹⁾.
 
At the end of the 1970s, there was a slight upturn in the adult fountain pen business⁽²⁾: a new initiative was launched in 1979 with model Signum⁽³⁾. The name "Signum" was derived from the Latin "signum" (a mark written, impressed, affixed, etc., for establishing position, ownership, etc.) (Oxford Latin Dictionary). The model was characterized by a slim metal body⁽⁴⁾. There was no longer anything on the slim stick clip that reminded one of a pelican's head or beak. On higher-end models thanp530, the clip has a spring with it, and the spring pushes the clip against the cap tube, which in turn pinches the pocket (this type of clip was not subsequently adopted). P520 and P530 had the Pelikan logo on the cap tube, not on the cap top. Pelikan adopted a snap-on cap for the first time. All models had a black grip section. The model kept the cartridge filling system which was thought to be appealing to adults. The model also featured an open nib⁽⁵⁾. A lot of ground had to be made up in the trade: extensive advertising support in the form of brochures, decorations and product presentations was intended to facilitate the introduction and sale of the new series Signum⁽⁶⁾. By 1982, there were 14 variations in materials and colors, all for adults (Pelikan: Ein Unternehmen schreibt Geschichte). Despite Pelikan's efforts and expectations, Signum was not a success. Although there are still consumers who write with Signum to their complete satisfaction, Pelikan finally succeeded in returning to its former greatness in the fountain pen business with the reintroduction of model 400 in 1982 (Pelikan: Ein Unternehmen schreibt Geschichte)⁽⁶⁾.
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The success of M400 enabled Pelikan to decide to fade Signum from the market. 1983 saw the Signum lineup reduced to 8 (Pelikan Schreibgeräte)⁽⁶⁾.

Signum was discontinued in 1988. Its fountain pen concept was carried over to model New Classic, introduced in 1992.

Although Signum was not a success and is not often talked about today, it can be positioned as the first of the "fourth generation" of Pelikan fountain pens that returned to an adult-oriented, classic style fountain pen. Signum was also the first modern fountain pen with a model name.

Note;⁽¹⁾In the Pelikan catalogs, the school pen Pelikano was presented before the adult fountain pens (Pelikan catalog No.250W (1977)).
⁽²⁾This was not least due to the designs and successes of Lamy 2000 (1966) (Pelikan: Ein Unternehmen schreibt Geschichte), Aurora Hastil (1970) (PAULO'S PEN POSTS), and Montblanc Noblesse (1974) (PAULO'S PEN POSTS).
⁽³⁾In the same year, the P series cartridge fountain pen was discontinued.
⁽⁴⁾The shape is characterized by the designs of the Ulm School, based on the Bauhaus style, which combines practicality, functionality, and design (PAULO'S PEN POSTS). 
⁽⁵⁾Aside from the cap and barrel, the nib was a bit closer to the classic style (open nib; e.g. 400, 140) compared to its predecessors.
⁽⁶⁾In the 1982 catalog, Signum was listed before M400, but the order was switched in the 1984 catalog (Pelikan catalog No.S300 (1982), Pelikan Schreibgeräte-Collection 1984/1985 (1984)).