Datasets and Archives

Access to archival material is essential for research on the history of central banking. In recent years, central banks around the world have taken important steps to facilitate access to their historical records—not only for researchers but also for the wider public. Among the most significant of these efforts is the digitization and online publication of primary sources. Leading examples include the Bank of England and the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, whose digital library FRASER has become a key resource for the study of U.S. economic and financial history, particularly the Federal Reserve System.

These initiatives have greatly supported the growing field of financial history and have encouraged a long-term perspective in economic research. Since the 2008 financial crisis, this renewed interest has led to a surge in academic publications and to the strengthening of international research networks, such as the European Banking History Association.

Latin America has also seen important developments in this area. Central banks in countries such as Mexico, Colombia, Chile, and Peru have made significant efforts to organize and open their historical archives. These initiatives are not only crucial for advancing academic research but also for supporting transparency and institutional accountability—core principles of central bank autonomy.

Below you will find links to selected archival resources and digital collections. A full list of archives on the banking history of Latin America can be found at H-bancaria here. As the project progresses, we will also make available the data we collect, in the spirit of open science and collaborative research.

Argentina

Banco Central de la República Argentina Archive, Buenos Aires: Prebish and Tornquist Libraries, Buenos Aires – great places with abundant archival material

Chile

Banco Central de Chile Archive, Santiago de Chile: most of its archival material is digitalized and publicly available at the Repositorio.

Colombia

Banco de la República de Colombia Archive, Bogotá.

Mexico:

Banco de México Archive, Mexico City.

Peru

Banco Central de Perú, Lima.

International Organizations

Bank for International Settlements (BIS) Archives, Basel.

IMF Archive, Washingon D.C.