Yazid Ibn Muawiyah was the second Caliph (Khalifa) of the Umayyad dynasty. He succeeded his father Muwaiyah in 680 AD and ruled till 683 AD.

Yazid remains one of the most divisive and controversial figures in Islamic history. He has annually vilified in Shia and Sunnis ceremonies. They also criticize him for killing Muhammad's grandson, for the laxity of his lifestyle, and for his indifference to the values of Islam. The tragedy at Karbala is one of the saddest and most regrettable events of all Islamic history.

This silver Drachm of Arab Sasanian type was struck by his governor of Basra and Kufa, Ubayd-Allah Ibn Ziyad. Ubayd Allah was responsible for the organization and nominal command of the Umayyad army that fought against the forces of Hussein ibn Ali at the Battle of Karbala. The battle occurred on 10 Muharram 61 AH (9 or 10 October 680 AD), during the year in which this coin was minted.

This coin shows the crowned bust of Sasanian king Khosrau II with Pahlavi inscription within the double ring and Arabic legend ‘Bismillah’ followed by four pellets in outer margin. The reverse of the coin depicts Fire altar with attendants; star and crescent flanking flames and Pahlavi legend all within triple ring and star in crescents flanking in outer margin.

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