Help With Maryland Scott# 736

I would like some infor on this. I can see that is stamp was only issued in sheets. I bought this collection a while back and this was in the album. I know an error of horizontal imper pair is listed in catalog. As you can see there is no perf on bottom and it has a line there. Also the postmark is dated in 1971. I am wondering if this may have been an imperf pair that was cut and used.
If so can someone give me as a single what it would be worth as part of a collection. or any infor or thoughts. Thanks

First welcome to SCF. This stamp was released on March 23, 1934. It was printed on a flat plate press in sheets of 400 subjects in 4 panes of 100 each. The panes were separated by vertical and horizontal guide lines. When the sheet was cut into panes the panes had 2 straight edges. The copy you posted has the horizontal guide line on the bottom and is a natural straight edge.
Below is an illustration of the 400 subject flat plate layout showing the guide lines where the sheet was cut.

First of all, WELCOME to Stamp Collecting Forum.

As for the scanned stamp you have shown, even though it dates back to 1934, it's very common. The catalog value is 25 cents (mint); 20 cents (used), which is minimum catalog value. Given the fact that one can often expect no more than a small percentage of catalog value on the resale market and since the cancellation shows modern usage, it is probably due to someone realizing it's 3-cent postage value was no more than would be recovered to sell it as a collectible, so it wound up being used as common postage.

The straight edge at the bottom of the stamp is indicative of it being at the bottom row of stamps in a pane that was cut from a larger sheet. In general, these stamps are less desirable to collectors than stamps with perforations on all sides, but on a relatively common stamp it doesn't make that much of a difference.

I hope this information is helpful.

It is called "The Ark and the Dove" and is one of many very nicely engraved commemoratives of the 1900-1945 issues of the US. What is everyone's take on the year in the CDS ? Sure looks like 1971 to me.

Looks like 1 Dec 1971 to me. Kinda out of time except for dealers or promos.

Russ, your knowledge on the subject of US stamps is astounding! I hope you never leave this forum ... I can learn much just by reading your responses to all the inquiries.

Brian

As for 736a - imperf between horizontal pair - does that include guildeline pairs, or was this an actual error where a sheet was imperf vertically?

Brian, thanks. There are a lot of very knowledgeable people on this forum and especially in the U.S. forum area.

736a is a foldover error creating one horizontal pair on a block of 12.

I have to agree with the above poster. Russ, your knowledge is amazing !! I also know how fortunate we are to have your wisdom and knowledge here.....Thanks !

Thanks for the lesson, Russ!

thanks for the answers.. after I posted this I found a different post on a different stamp that was printed on sheets the same way so I figured thats what it was. Either way still makes it a difference in my collection..