Why does a Bakers dozen have 13 instead of 12?

Answer 1

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Baker's Dozen is 12 plus 1 extra. Not 13.

According to Etymology Distionary:

The number 13 has been in use since 1430 A.D.

" Not an unlucky number in medieval England, but associated rather with the customary "extra item" (e.g. baker's dozen).

Superstitions began with association with the Last Supper, and the unluckiness of 13 sitting down together to dine (attested from 1695).

Most of the modern superstitions (buildings with floor "12-A," etc.) have developed since 1890.
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Answer 2

In the mid-13th century, British law imposed strict regulations on bakers regarding the weight of bread. Bakers wanted to make sure they complied, since the penalties were severe (a fine or the pillory). It was difficult to make loaves of uniform weight in those days before automation, so bakers added a 13th loaf to every shipment of 12--better to be overweight than under. Thus "a baker's dozen" meant 13.

The second theory is more complicated. A baker selling to a third party (a street vendor, say) would add a 13th loaf as the profit for the middleman. That is, the baker sells the middleman 13 loaves for the price of 12, and the middle man sells the 13 individual loaves for a 7.7% profit.

Whichever theory you accept, the evolution of the expression today has come to mean that the baker adds an extra cookie, bun, pastry or whatever to the order of 12 as a bonus.

Answer 3

The oldest known source and most probable origin for the expression "baker's dozen" dates to the 13th century in one of the earliest English statutes, instituted during the reign of Henry III, called the Assize of Bread and Ale. Bakers who were found to have shortchanged customers could be liable to severe punishment. To guard against the punishment of losing a hand to an axe, a baker would give 13 for the price of 12, to be certain of not being known as a cheat. Specifically, the practice of baking 13 items for an intended dozen was to prevent "short measure", on the basis that one of the 13 could be lost, eaten, burnt or ruined in some way, leaving the baker with the original dozen. The practice can be seen in the guild codes of the Worshipful Company of Bakers in London.

Answer 4

Hmmm...there seems to be a few different theories as to why a bakers dozen inclludes thirteen instead of twelve. The practice seems to have started in the 13th century, and as with most long-standing practices, it was probably one that was hard to stop.

Here are a few article that discuss the different theories:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-bakers-dozen.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakers_dozen

Answer 5

In case one isn't any good, that is what I was always told.