This is what I'd do:
Dump them all out in a lasagne pan and as Abbatoir said, go through and pick out all the brown, plump, striped ones, which are the ripest. Save these.

When you want to germ some, go ahead and use the paper towel method or whatever you like.

I think the best way is to put them in just enough water to moisten them, but not cover them. A seed needs oxygen to pop and not rot. I don't like the float test for this reason. So a clean jam jar with about 1mm of water in the bottom would be nice. You can put the lid on so the water doesn't evaporate.

Old seeds may take longer to germ, but you will probably be surprised that a lot of them WILL actually grow! So don't just try to sprout like a hundred at once because you may be swamped with little plants!