At that time an average size trader with at least $100K could make a significant impact on the price.
The amount of money needed in 2011 to cause a huge pump is just play money for whales nowadays.
Currently a $100K wall would get eaten in just a second without anyone noticing.
But not $100k worth of bitcoin from back then. Which is like 100k bitcoin.
I know, I said $100K wall would get eaten without problems now.
Back then $100K was like a nuclear bomb. Now, nothing more than a hand grenade.