I use nicked jars for storing because the nick is often not enough to be a problem to get a decent seal for what you’re thinking of, but it is enough to be a problem for an airtight, vacuum seal.
If I find a nicked jar, I tie a red thread around the neck of the jar. That way I don’t waste time checking jars that I know are bad.
Thanks for the tip. It would make sense to mark the jars for future reference. I don’t want to get my hopes up too high, but I sure hope the jars are in good condition and reasonably priced.
A dot of red nail polish would work too. You can use the jars for dry storage such as grains, rice, etc. which is what I’m sure you do.