A Baker's Dozen isn't actually a dozen, it's actually 13. While you might think that this is just bakers being generous and giving you an extra donut or piece of bread. However, the reason it exists is because bakers were trying to protect themselves.
During the reign of Henry III, the Assize of Bread and Ale statute was enacted. According to this statute, bakers who were found to shortchange their customers could be severely punished; up to and including having their hands chopped off!
As a result, they started baking bread in 13s, so that they wouldn't be known as cheats. This also protected them in case they lost, burnt or ruined one of the pieces of bread they had baked, leaving them with a legal dozen.
<a data-cke-saved-href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baker" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baker" s_dozen#baking'="" target="_new">(Source)
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