I should mention that this engine is on a 24" snowblower

if it reallly old, it will have points and a condenser. If the laminated plates on the coil are rusty you can try sanding them until they are bright. Points and condenser are still available.

What andyma said. You could also remove the kill wire from the blower that hooks up below the carb to eliminate that circuit for testing. How are you testing for spark BTW? If you are using a spark plug, make sure you are holding it to a point on the engine to where you are sure it is grounded well. After 10 years sitting, it will need a carb or carb service almost certainly. You can post the spec # from the engine and we can tell you more if you need more help.

Thanks guys.

The coil plates were rusty, though not bad. A couple of minutes of sanding and they are shining again. Wala! Spark! easy fix, thanks again for the tip.