I am in pretty much the same boat, I don't really know anyone with an interest in coins. Some family members will politely look over some from time to time but they are not collectors. I've always loved old things and that was one of the first things that drew me to coins, it's amazing to see coins hundreds of years old with such intricate details and awesome designs. Do you focus on a particular time period or country etc sort of putting together a type set, or do you just go after nice examples of coins you like?
One of the reasons I've shied away from older foreign coins was not having really any point of reference on grading, pricing, and authenticating. What sort of references do you use for information?