A novel strategy based on metal-free click chemistry was developed for the copper-64 radiolabeling of the core in shell-crosslinked nanoparticles (SCK-NPs). Compared with Cu(I)-catalyzed click chemistry, this metal-free strategy provides the following advantages for Cu-64 labeling of the core of SCK-NPs: (1) elimination of copper exchange between non-radioactive Cu in the catalyst and DOTA-chelated Cu-64; (2) elimination of the internal “click” reactions between the azide and acetylene groups in the same NPs; and (3) increased efficiency of the “click” reaction because water soluble Cu(I) does not need to reach the hydrophobic core of the NPs. When 50 mCi Cu-64 was used for the radiolabeling, the specific activity of the radiolabelled product was 975 Ci/μmol at the end of synthesis, which represents the attachment of ca. 500 Cu-64 atoms per SCK-NP, giving in essence a 500-fold amplification of specific activity of the NP over that of the Cu-64 chelate. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest specific activity obtained for Cu-64 labeled nanoparticles.