There can be coincidences in life, but this one is too big, no ?
How come that the bitcoin price, after a large period of stability, starts rising around the day of announcement of the auction, peaks exactly at the day of bidding, and drops afterwards ? Who's the winner here ? USMS, no ? But in order for this price rise to be done since beginning of October, a steady manipulation is needed. The idea of a sale cannot induce the market in increasing the price: indeed, the sale will increase offer. If there were any anticipated effect of "greater visibility to bitcoin" or the like, there's no reason why it would crash after the sale - on the contrary.
The bidders themselves have not the slightest interest to have a high bitcoin price exactly on the day of bidding.
This only makes sense if we believe that part of the US government is manipulating bitcoin itself.
Normally I'm not in such "conspiracy stuff" but this is too overtly obvious. Unless we have to go to a higher-order interpretation, and think of who wants us to think that the US governement is manipulating bitcoin. Banks, maybe ?
i agree that the timing is really strange. on the other hand a few million bucks seem just not enough to get the usms into manipulating such a market. there is a story behind it, i am sure. but it is not the usms trying to make a buck.