Lucky Number in Million Dollar Bid

The Chinese newspaper, Shanghai Daily has reported that an online bidder has offered to pay 9 million yuan (US$1.1 million) for a "lucky" phone number. The bid was placed on EachNet.com, China's largest e-business Website.

The winning bid for the phone number, 135 8585 8585 which when prounounced in Chinese will sound similar to "let me be rich be rich be rich be rich" was placed after 70 bids.

"We have checked our records and confirmed the deal," said Tang Lei, PR manager at EachNet, adding that it is the highest phone number price on the Website.

EachNet says prices for cell phone numbers auctioned on its site have risen in recent years. Numbers related to birthdays or lucky numbers have sold from 100 yuan to 100,000 yuan."

Posted to the site on 14th April 2004