How to finish our wood?

We are almost done stripping the paint from the molding around one of our windows. Although the wood is a “lesser” species, we do like the color and grain and would like to see how it looks with a clear finish. Judging from our research, it looks like it’s most likely maple, although there’s an off-chance that it’s poplar or cherry. Does anyone have experience finishing similar wood, and have any recommendations for stain and/or sealer that they could share? Thanks in advance!

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