Senior Constable Chris Blackford, of Queenstown, said a Frankton church had a jumble sale last Saturday, where items donated by members of the community were given to those in need.
Between September 14 and 19, a woman's white jacket was dropped off at the church in a box with other items, and when church volunteers were going through the pockets, they found something unexpected.
"In the pocket of the coat was a considerable amount of money.
"It was in a clear plastic bag.
"The money is considerable - it's not a small item that you would misplace.
"When the church found the money, the church leader brought it to the police station," Snr Const Blackford said.
The jacket was an XL, white, three-quarter length "Columbia" puffer jacket, with a fur-trimmed hood.
The money was all in New Zealand dollar notes.
The cash had been taken to the New Zealand Customs office in Frankton to be swabbed for drugs and there was "no indication" the money had been in the proximity of illegal substances.
After three months, if the rightful owner had not claimed the money, it would be given back to the church.
"If anybody knows the owner of the jacket . . . they could contact them and tell them to contact the police.
"They [the owner] will be required to provide evidence of ownership, of course," he said.
