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There was a rally to 34c on the 3rd (same day as spike in traffic), but given the volatility of Steem and the fact that it was 44c only a couple of weeks before, that doesn't seem like a major factor. Traffic was definitely beginning to be parabolic even as the price declined from that rally.

First payout was the 4th, so that would have been a little insider buying just before skeptics and the world saw actual coin being paid out, not just promissory figures. Many existing people popped back in to see what was about to happen

There was a good amount of external coverage surrounding the megapayout, starting a few days before, and certainly a lot of excitement among Steemians which may have driven word-of-mouth. The big price rise came well after the megapayout, culminating with the Poloniex listing in later July.

I stand corrected then

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