a few recent Digest entries prompt this:

If you find yourself with a coil devoid of markings denoting poz/neg,

find yourself a well sharpened lead pencil. Rig up the coil to spark.
Agitate the little bugger so it arcs to ground. Then, place the
(wooden) pencil so the arc jumps to the lead point, then to earth. You
will then have two arcs. There will be a flare coming from the pencil
tip. If it goes to earth, polarity correct. If it goes to lead,
polarity incorrect.
If you are troubled with points that crater on one side, and build up
on the other: if the pit is on the negative side, your condenser is
undercapacity for coil, pit on poz side, overcapacity. Condensors are
rated in microfarads, but to find condensors rated that way anymore is
hard...mutt