This collection will include at least one representative work, one emblematic treasure, from each of the countries which achieved independence at the end of the 18th or beginning of the l9th centuries. Some of these works were written by chroniclers of the Indies adventure. Others are scientific studies on flora and fauna, some are poetical works, while others are pedagogical texts. The first book in the Thesaurus Americae collection is the Cathechism of Fray Pedro de Gante, described as a flagship by the Iberoamerican Association of National Libraries (ABINIA) and published in 1993. The originals of the works which make up the collection are to be found in a number of libraries in America and Europe. ABINIA members played a large part in deciding which works to publish.

This type of writing is a direct descendant of the pictographs used is Belisario Betancur, former President of Colombia and an indefatigable promoter of cultural projects. The technical director is César Olmos, director of "Testimonio Compañía Editorial", a publisher of international renown, who has revolutionised the world of facsimile production thanks to his own personal technical and artistic contribution.

Each superbly reproduced facsimile comes with a critical, scientific study commissioned from a distinguished specialist on South America.

Thesaurus Americae is published jointly by "Testimonio Compañía Editorial" of Madrid and "El Navegante" publishers of Santafé de Bogotá.