If someone is a serious collector of fine art, they would want to go with repro paintings instead of opting for prints.  There is something completely satisfying about having the best of anything.  This is certainly true for those who collect art.  Many people find it incredibly difficult to afford a lot of original pieces, which is why they decide to go with copies of the original.  The original works are sometimes located in museums, galleries, or private collections.  The chances are good that they may never come up for sale at an auction to the public.  So if a masterpiece of this type is desired, these are a very close second to the authentic piece.

Museums have discerning demands as do their patrons.  This is why they hire only the best artists to put their brush to the canvas and recreate a work of art.  This is a good way to tell that a copy has been done by hand because the seller will likely publish that it is museum quality.  These are more than just copies of a famous image.  They are also copies of the technique, style, flare, and genre in which the original artist worked in.  It takes a trained eye to be able to see the different characteristics, and then create them again in an effort to replicate the original.

Museums also purchase or have on loan, copies of the originals that they feature.  This is so the originals can be tended to periodically to make sure that they are not harmed by lint or temperature.  The repro paintings are hung in their place so that the exhibit does not have to close a wing in order to do the preventative maintenance.