SHANGHAI, July 30 -- IT'S a very special number in China -- 20080808 -- and Zhang Jianyun hopes it's about to pay off.

The number represents the opening date of next year's Beijing Olympics -- August 8, 2008. It's also the last eight digits of Zhang's mobile phone number, which he purchased just days after the International Olympic Committee announced the dates for the 29th Olympiad.

Zhang said he paid 20,000 yuan (US$2,600) for the number. Now he plans to auction it next week -- August 8 to be exact -- with the bidding starting at 200,000 yuan.

"At the time many people believed that I was crazy to buy a mobile number at such a high price," Zhang said in a telephone interview.

Zhang said some high profile companies and individuals would be bidding for his number, though he declined to give names. In China, at least nine other numbers end in the magic eight digits. Zhang said he was familiar with other holders of the numbers and said he believed four others were also ready to sell.