This is what I have been told about the handshake or "clasped hands" and found the following from the same site that has the picture...
"Freemasonry created this "clasped hands" symbol to carry the meaning of a solemn agreement, it is logical they would use 'clasped hands' to symbolize the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. This land purchase was monumentally important, for it formally shut out any European foothold in the new United States of America. From the beginning of the British effort to establish America as an occult "New Atlantis" (1594), England's leaders were most interested in keeping countries out of North America who were dominated by Roman Catholicism. Masonic leaders wanted the new America to mature and begin to flourish without the threat of the Catholic Inquisition that had scourged European Black Magick practitioners since 600 AD.
When Napoleon (1796-1814) agreed to sell the Louisiana Purchase to Thomas Jefferson's government (1801-1809), the new United States was a whole nation, without the scourge of countries dominated by Catholicism. It is interesting to note that Napoleon was Masonic while Thomas Jefferson was Rosicrucian. Thus, the 'clasped hands' symbol on this nickel is totally appropriate."
"Freemasonry created this "clasped hands" symbol to carry the meaning of a solemn agreement, it is logical they would use 'clasped hands' to symbolize the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. This land purchase was monumentally important, for it formally shut out any European foothold in the new United States of America. From the beginning of the British effort to establish America as an occult "New Atlantis" (1594), England's leaders were most interested in keeping countries out of North America who were dominated by Roman Catholicism. Masonic leaders wanted the new America to mature and begin to flourish without the threat of the Catholic Inquisition that had scourged European Black Magick practitioners since 600 AD.
When Napoleon (1796-1814) agreed to sell the Louisiana Purchase to Thomas Jefferson's government (1801-1809), the new United States was a whole nation, without the scourge of countries dominated by Catholicism. It is interesting to note that Napoleon was Masonic while Thomas Jefferson was Rosicrucian. Thus, the 'clasped hands' symbol on this nickel is totally appropriate."
