A replica is an exact (usually 1:1 in scale) copy of something, made out of the same raw materials. Replicas could be made of a molecule, art, or a product. The term is also used for copies that look very much like the original, without saying they are the same.
Replicas have been sometimes sold as originals. This is a type of fraud. Most replicas are not made to do this. Fragile originals need protection, while people can look at a replica in a museum. Replicas are often sold as souvenirs.