Just tested some pieces for max. black and max. white. There is no way it could have been fogged by light, as it was wrapped *very* securely in a double-layered black material...twice! Took me a little while to get it unwrapped in the dark. Of course, there is some fog from radiation and heat. (Yes, I developed in absolute darkness.) However, since I see myself using this in camera to make a neg, that fog can be printed through when making the paper pos via contact.
I am not sure if there were any color negs when this stuff was sold, Sparky, or any processing machines...but the date is still up in the air. The packaging looks older than you or I, though. (BTW, I am in L.A. too. Whereabouts are you?)
The emulsion is very luminescent, almost "pearly" when wet, and has a unique texture, as if there is no topcoat over the light-sensitive emulsion...which I have been told that carbro color separation paper did not have. It dries matte, though.
It seems plastic based, but not resin coated on the emulsion itself. Makes sense for a paper that needs to maintain identical size print to print, and that only leads a short service life (to pull pigment from the plastics). Looks and feels like RC from behind, but like matte fiber from the front.
I think this will work great for use in camera. I just have to be extra careful with the emulsion.