They might more likely have been demanding the debt ceiling be raised or default. The default on the national debt might result in Treasury Bonds being cashed, like you mention - payment would not likely be in more notes.

This is what I was mentioning about the new sputtering of copper, high valence and electron density replacing gold. So the value of gold will drop fast as its glitter fades. So I keep mentioning the current Fed Asset Report showing domestic gold at $42.22/troy ounce. Gold bugs hate hearing about that; "gold back into the System" and all from the Amendments to the Bretton Woods Agreements. The paper gold (SDR's) is indeed a house of cards.