Plain-English definitions for the terms you'll encounter when buying peanuts in bulk.
In-shell — Peanuts still in their tan, papery shell. About half the weight of the bag is the shell. Best for events (kids and adults love shelling them), in-shell roasting, and boiled peanuts.
Shelled — Peanuts with the shell already removed. The kernels are what most recipes call for and what you snack on.
Skin-on (or redskin) — Shelled peanuts that still have their thin red papery skin. Fine for snacking and some recipes; the skin is bitter for delicate baking.
Blanched — Shelled peanuts with the red skin already removed. The default for peanut butter, candy, and most baking applications.
Raw — Peanuts that have been dried but not roasted. Pale, ivory-colored, slightly grassy taste. You roast or boil them yourself.
Roasted — Cooked at 300-350°F until golden brown and crisp. Most snack peanuts are roasted.
Honey-roasted / dry-roasted — Different finishing treatments. Honey-roasted gets a sweet glaze; dry-roasted gets salt directly applied without added oil.
Variety: Runner — The workhorse US peanut. Medium-sized, used for the majority of peanut butter, candy, and snack peanuts. Mostly grown in Georgia, Alabama, Florida.
Variety: Virginia — Large, crunchy, sweet — the classic in-shell roast peanut and the "ballpark peanut." Mostly grown in Virginia and the Carolinas.
Variety: Spanish — Small, round, oil-rich, with a tan-red skin. Classic peanut brittle, oil-press, and some snack mixes. Mostly grown in Texas and Oklahoma.
Variety: Valencia — Sweet, three-kernels-per-shell, often the variety used for fresh-boiled peanuts. New Mexico is the main US producer.
5-lb bag / 25-lb sack / 50-lb sack / pallet — Standard retail sizes. 5 lb fits a pantry. 25 lb is the small-bulk size for a hobby baker or small event. 50 lb is the typical case-pack from wholesalers. A pallet is 40 bags of 50 lb = 2,000 lb — for businesses or very large events.
Aflatoxin — A naturally occurring toxin from molds (mainly Aspergillus flavus) that can grow on peanuts. Every reputable US peanut you buy at retail or in bulk has been tested; the FDA limit for human food is 20 parts per billion. Not something a consumer needs to test for themselves.
Lot number — A code that ties a bag of peanuts to a specific harvest batch. Save the lot number for any large order in case a quality issue comes up.
MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity) — The smallest order a wholesaler will ship. Most consumer-friendly retailers have no MOQ; some wholesalers require 1 pallet (2,000 lb).
FOB vs Delivered — Wholesale pricing terms. FOB means you pay shipping separately; Delivered means the price includes shipping. For consumer orders the price you see is almost always delivered.
Cracker / oil stock — Peanuts that didn't pass grading for snack/candy use. Used in peanut butter or pressed for oil. Cheaper.
For deeper context, the where to buy bulk peanuts guide and the variety differences article cover the practical decisions.