When I was younger, I would have taken the money in a hot second, and what I did with the wallet afterward would depend on how charitable I was feeling at the time.

At this point, though, I have more respect for what it takes to earn a dollar, and far more respect for others' property. Depending on the info inside the wallet, I'd either go with calling the owner, or dropping it off at their address. The city I live in doesn't see a whole lot of tourism or out-of-towners, so the chance that the wallet belongs to somebody who lives in town would be pretty high.

Some of this would depend on the details (such as how far of a drive the address is from my house, etc). However I would do it I would return the wallet and everything in in.

I'd take the wallet in to the cops. And leave everything in it.
That $200 could be their rent, their bills. The money they saved to get their partner a birthday present. How could I justify taking it?

Depends on how far it is. I'd either bring it to the police and call the owner that I found it (if there is a telephone number on it), or go to his/her house and give it back myself.

Drop off at their place or bring to the police, depending on the wallet owner's place's distance from me.

Been there, done that (with about the same amount of money as in this scenario) and I have no reason to assume I'd do it differently the next time.

No, they charge for items in Lost Property
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/A.../Lost-Property

Wow, I've never heard of that before. I'm sure there are examples in the States similar to it, I've just never run across it.

I would be contacting the police. Might consider giving them a call, assuming there is some info on phone number, but I would probably just talk to the police about it.

Also depending on the person, they may assume you stole the wallet to begin with and press charges. After all you opened the wallet and looked inside. If someone else has taken money out and left it there or just dropped the wallet like an idiot, the owner may react differently. With all the shootings recently, I would be very pressed to not just box it up and mail it to them with their id as the packing slip.

I once forgot my wallet on a playground while out with my kids. Apparently, someone came across it, found my husbands business card inside and called him. He then agreed to drop it off at our local police station where I could pick it up. Would the police really do much to locate the owner of a wallet or would it just get thrown into a lost and found?