The gallery owners tracked Adams down to open the package and to their surprise it was two black and white photo of Adams and a letter.
In it, the photographer asked for one photo to be given to Adams and the other to be sold on his behalf.
"It was taken outside the pharmacy of Port Chalmers," Adams told RNZ Afternoons.
"He came along and I was money begging and he was trying to give me a meal and a few dollars and then he asked me if I would like my photo taken and I said yes.
"It's just about my situation... that I'm homeless and I do money begging along my way."
Adams (Ngāpuhi, Chinese) was born in 1961 in Whakatāne and grew up in the Tūhoe area before leaving for Auckland with his parents in the 1970s when his father, a train driver, moved for work.
In 1979 he finished school and followed in his dad's footsteps, working for the NZ Railways.
"I was young back then, in my 20s, and just travelled around with the New Zealand railway," Adams said.
In 2001, he ended up in Dunedin, where he has been since. Over time he found himself homeless and in the seaside town of Port Chalmers.
"It was just the way things happened for me I suppose, as I got older."
"Right now things are not looking good for me, being homeless. I rely on winning the Lotto and scratch and win more than ever before, that's the only thing that's gonna get me out."
He was on the waiting list for a home.
"It's a long waiting list, it's going to take ages and ages to bring my name up."
Gallery owner Robert Scott said it would be fascinating to find out who the photographer was.
"The photograph is actually signed but of course we can't make out the signature."
The photo was being auctioned on Trademe and closes June 2, with all proceeds being given to Adams.
