It seems to be very stubborn in its refusal to drop even the slightest cent below $1600. I think the recent prices have become fixed in the minds of many, with an eye onto eventually approaching and passing $2000, that anywhere around the low $1600s seems to find buyers (price sentiment). I think the manipulation has failed, but there may still be drops if there is an enormous brief flight to dollars when Greece defaults, the stock markets bottom out, there is a general European-wide run on banks... But even if you bought at the peak, say at $1900, you are still better off, because that way you got something (gold) for nothing (fiat money). In fact, I would say fiat money is actually less than nothing, because of the commission collected by the central bank...