Can't checkin new tapes

I have a group of new 3592 L&I (labeled and initialized) tapes that I can't label or checkin to the library.

command: label libv dlib search=yes volran=hd0500,hd0504 checkin=scratch
result: message says these tapes are already labeled with the same volume name

command: checkin libv dlib search=yes voll=hd0500,hd0501,hd0502,hd0503,hd0504 status=scratch
result: message says 0 volumes found

If I define these volumes as members of a stgpool then the command "q vol hd050* f=d" shows thes volumes to be empty and NOT scratch tapes. Any attempt to update the status to scratch results in error ANR8443E, "volume...cannot be assigned a status of scratch".

Thanks.