Back in the earlier days of Scouting the Scouter's Key and Scouter's Training Award were developed for Key or head leaders in each of the programs, and other leaders and adult volunteers. Each was a small gold device hanging from a green and white ribbon. The Key looked like an academic key with the Tenderfoot logo in front of the "key", and the Training Award was a gold letter "A" with the Tenderfoot logo on the front. The white strip on the suspension ribbon was wider on the Scouter's Key award as well.
In the late 70's the Cub Scout volunteers had a whole now array of awards generated, reflecting the different positions in Cub Scouting, and the fact that many adults didn't stay in Cub Scouting for long. These awards were represented by medals on ribbons that were suspended from the neck, and varied for the specific award. At the same time, Cub Scouters who had earned the Scouter's Training Award before 1988 could continue to wear the award medal or the knot signifying the award, and place a small gold representation of the Cub Scout logo on the knot or suspension ribbin, to signify earning the award in Cub Scouting.
Some time later, I would have to guess in the 90's, BSA stopped manufacturing the neck awards for the Cub Scout Leader awards, ONLY, leaving the councils to sell or award whatever stock they had on hand. I suspect that district training committees were too impoverished or cheap to put out the $ 7.00 for the award, when the knot could be purchased for less than a dollar.
Since then BSA has only stocked the Scouter's Key and Scouter's Training Award medals, but has continued to stock and sell the small golden devices that can be placed on the award suspension ribbon or the award knot to signify in which program you earned the award. These devices were available for the Exploring, and Air Exploring, and are vaailable for Cub Scouting - if earned before 1988, Boy Scouting, Varsity, Venturing, Sea Scouts, Commissioning, and District Committee. Mike Walton's Site