  Anode button. 
Purchased from Neil Lipson (Lipson@postoffice.att.net) after contact through eBay.  I'm very unclear on what process this odd item was a result of, but clearly electro-accumulation is a reasonable claim.  It's quite peculiar.  I have a pound of very similar buttons made of nickel instead. 
Source: Neil Lipson 
Contributor: Theodore Gray 
Acquired: 29 May, 2002 
Price: $5 
Size: 1.25" 
Purity: >99%
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