It publishes original research papers in all fields of pure and applied mathematics.

Collectanea Mathematica was founded in 1948 by José M. Orts [ca] (it is the oldest mathematical journal in Spain[1]).

Thanks to the contribution of some relevant mathematicians in Catalonia, like Ferran Sunyer Balaguer, and eminent international collaborators (Wilhelm Blaschke, Hugo Hadwiger, Gaston Julia or Ernst Witt), the journal reached a central role in the Spanish scientific publications, under the direction of Enrique Linés [es] (1969-1971), who was also president of the Real Sociedad Matemática Española [es], and specially with Josep Teixidor [ca] (1971-1986), president of the Societat Catalana de Ciències Físiques, Químiques i Matemàtiques (1968-1973).

During the period 1987–2007, with Joan Cerdà as the Main Editor, the journal took several steps forward to further improve its scientific quality.

In 2003, the recently created Institute of Mathematics of the University of Barcelona started to be in charge of its publication, providing Collectanea Mathematica with a stable economic and scientific support.