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The original was posted on /r/todayilearned by /u/GDW312 on 2023-10-15 15:56:17.

Original Title: TIL In the 18th century, there was a practice in England known as “wife-selling.” This unusual custom involved a man publicly auctioning off his wife to the highest bidder, often in a marketplace or a tavern. It was sometimes seen as a humorous way to escape an unhappy marriage.